


Lay All Your Love on Me

by RegretfullyRegretful



Series: Take on Me [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan, The Trials of Apollo - Rick Riordan
Genre: 80's Music, Alternate Universe - Bar/Pub, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Band Fic, Based on an ABBA Song, Established Nico di Angelo/Will Solace, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of alcohol, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace Fluff, Nico is a Dork, Nico loves Will Solace, musician will solace, singer will solace, this is cringey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:47:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27202022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegretfullyRegretful/pseuds/RegretfullyRegretful
Summary: “Hey, Nico?” Jason asked, shouting slightly so Nico could hear him over the crowd and music.Nico had half a mind to ignore him and just listen to Will sing but he snapped out a “What?” at the man beside him.“Isn’t this like, your guys’s song, pretty much?” he asked.“Yes, now shut up,” Nico shouted, his eyes never wavering from Will.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Series: Take on Me [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117904
Comments: 5
Kudos: 99





	Lay All Your Love on Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is kinda cringe but I like ABBA so much so here we are

The air in the bar felt heavy with smoke and sweat. It smelled like perfume and alcohol and the table Nico was leaning on was strangely sticky. It used to make his skin crawl, the feeling of grime that accompanied so many bars in New York City, but he was used to it now, almost comfortable with it. Jason and Percy were standing next to him, bouncing along with the band playing. They occasionally bumped into him, jolting him slightly or making his drink slosh over the sides of the cup, but he kept his eyes forward, watching the band play. 

It was Will’s band, _Cabin Seven,_ and Will was the lead singer. They were a cover band that played at a variety of bars throughout the city. They mostly covered eighties pop hits, with some other decades occasionally thrown in there, but it was always very synth-heavy. Will was singing into the microphone, his hands gripping the stand as his eyes darted across the room. Nico loved watching him perform, it was like watching him be more human, more _Will,_ than ever. It was like all the lights and sound invigorated him and his energy was palatable. Nico was sure he wasn’t the only one who felt it because just in front of the stage, there were a group of people jumping up and down wildly and reaching forward, as if to grab the feet of the band members. Cabin Seven had developed a pretty substantial following, at least for a cover band, and had started to gain what Percy claimed were groupies. The groupies were a pretty consistent group of people that came to see nearly every show that Cabin Seven played. As Will and the rest of the band would walk on stage, the groupies would hoot and holler and throw their hands in the air like it was Beatlemania but in dirty New York bars and with A-Ha and Rick Springfield covers. (Nico also came to almost every show, and Percy called him the die-hard groupie, the one who gets the band’s name tattooed on his ribcage and frames their used tissues. Nico had punched Percy _hard_ after that comment). 

The final chords of _Jessie’s Girl_ faded out and Will was beaming. His chest was heaving slightly, his hands still gripping the microphone in the stand as he scanned the crowd. As his eyes met Nico’s, he seemed to smile even wider and he winked. Nico tried to smirk coolly but the flush on his cheeks was surely visible even with the bad lighting and spotlights shining in Will’s eyes. He felt Jason nudge his shoulder and he broke eye contact with Will to look over at him. Jason was smiling at him and Percy had leaned forward so Nico could see him wiggle his eyebrows suggestively. He rolled his eyes but could feel his blush worsen as he raised the cup in his hand to his lips and downed the rest of it, wincing as the alcohol burned his throat. 

Nico whipped his head forward again as he heard Will speak. “Alright!” the blonde said, “We are going to deviate from our usual set a little bit tonight, folks.” 

Austin, who was standing just behind and to the left of Will on stage, shrugged off his guitar and moved to stand behind the keyboard that had remained mostly untouched so far that night. “This next song,” Will continued, “Is a personal favorite of mine. Also, I know we have some people who see us play often,” his eyes flickered from the crowd in front of the stage to Nico, “And we want to spice it up for them.”

Nico chuckled quietly, setting his empty cup down and crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Let’s start, shall we?” Will asked, turning back to nod at Austin.

Austin smiled and began tapping his foot before starting to play. The opening chords of the song made Nico’s heart flutter and he couldn’t help the smile that stretched across his face. Cecil, Lou Ellen, and Kayla joined after a few beats. Nico could feel the bass vibrate across the room and couldn’t help but tap along to the drum beat. His eyes moved back to Will just as he began to sing and Will was watching him intently, his eyes sparkling. 

“ _I wasn’t jealous before we met, now every man that I see is a potential threat_ ,” Will sang.

The crowd at the front screamed, jumping with renewed vigor as they realized the song. 

“Hey, Nico?” Jason asked, shouting slightly so Nico could hear him over the crowd and music. 

Nico had half a mind to ignore him and just listen to Will sing but he snapped out a “What?” at the man beside him.

“Isn’t this like, your guys’s song, pretty much?” he asked.

“Yes, now shut _up_ ,” Nico shouted, his eyes never wavering from Will. 

They had reached the first chorus and Nico uncrossed his arms, letting them fall to his sides as he let the sound of Will’s voice wash over him. “ _Don’t go wasting your emotion, lay all your love on me._ ”

Nico’s blood felt hot in his veins as he listened. His fingers were twitching at his sides and as Will looked at him, he nearly fell apart. This song had become their sort of anthem because Will adored ABBA and it was just the right mix of cheesy and synth that it made Nico loosen up a little bit. 

(After their third date, Will had given Nico an old fashioned mix tape, on a cassette tape and everything. Nico had taken the gift with wavering his hands, his heart bursting with pure adoration and his stomach dropping as he had to tell Will that he didn’t have any way to play it. Will had just grinned at him, his head cocking as he said, “I know, but my car has a cassette player. It just means you’ll have to spend some more time in my car with me.” Nico _melted_. That night, as they climbed into the car, the first song that played from the tape was the one Will was singing now.)

Will had pulled the microphone from the stand and was moving the cord around dramatically as he sang. He kept playfully looking back at his band mates, shaking his head at the lyrics. The light highlighted across his face, all cheekbones and jawline and _was that glitter?_ He turned back forward and found Nico in the crowd instantly, their eyes locking.

“ _I feel a kind of fear_

_When I don’t have you near_

_Unsatisfied, I skip my pride_

_I beg you, dear_ ,”

Nico felt shivers run up his spine and he shifted on his feet. Will began to take careful and slow steps forward as he continued.

“ _Don’t go wasting your emotion_

_Lay all your love on me_

_Don’t go sharing your devotion_

_Lay all your love on me._ ”

Nico was certain the gasp he let out was audible and he was eternally grateful that neither Percy or Jason said anything about it. He just couldn’t really help his reaction, this song, _their song_ , made Nico so unbearably happy. It reminded him of how mind bogglingly in love he was with his boyfriend. And when Will was looking at him that way, with hooded eyes and carefully placed smiles, all that he wanted to do was kiss him. 

Will gestured slightly to the crowd in front of the stage during the next verse, his hand waving awkwardly. Nico had no idea what he was trying to indicate until the group of people parted slightly. The blonde smiled widely and moved the microphone cord again. He looked behind him again at the rest of the band and Nico was absolutely certain that he winked based off the scoff Kayla let out. Will turned forward, meeting his gaze, and jumped down from the stage. Percy let out a laugh and muttered something he couldn’t quite make out, not that he particularly cared. Nico was fully enthralled as he watched Will weave his way through the crowd and toward him, still singing. 

“ _Cause everything is new_

_And everything is you_

_And all I’ve learned_

_Has overturned_

_What can I do?_ ”

Will was standing right in front of him with only the table between them, close enough that Nico could reach out and touch him if he wanted. He was standing frozen, his eyes wide and lips parted as Will jumped to sit on the table in one smooth motion. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jason grab the two empty cups that had been sitting there. Will’s back was to Nico for a moment as the blonde faced the stage. The crowd was all looking back at them and even the normally rowdy groupies had settled slightly, too taken with Will to do anything other than stare. As the final chorus hit, Will threw his head back, his eyes raised to the ceiling as he slowly began to lean backwards until he was laying with his back on the table. His head was hanging over the side, inches from Nico, and he was looking at him like they were the only people in the room.

“ _Don’t go wasting your emotion,_

_Lay all your love on me._

_Don’t go sharing your devotion,_

_Lay all your love on me._ ”

Nico stared at Will in awe, his breathing shallow as he looked down slightly to keep eye contact. Will reached his free hand out, his fingers grazing Nico’s cheek. He nearly whimpered at the contact, bewitched by the blonde’s singing and movements and very existence. Nico finally raised one hand from his side, to run his fingers through the blond curls. Just before he could actually touch him, Will smirked at him and sat up quickly, singing the final repetition of the chorus as he jumped down from the table. He made his way back to the stage, shooting a single look over his shoulder at Nico who was standing dumbly, his arm still held out slightly. He had stopped singing as he climbed back on stage, the song fading out with the quiet background vocals from Kayla and Lou Ellen. Will leaned down slightly to brush off the knees of his pants as he caught his breath. The room was quiet for a moment before people began clapping and it was the sudden sound of applause that broke Nico from his trance. He pulled his arm back quickly and cleared his throat, running a hand through his hair. He heard Jason and Percy laugh at him and he tried to send them a heated glare but it was weak. His head felt a little fuzzy and his legs were heavy as he shuffled forward slightly. 

“That’s it for us, folks. Have a great night!” Will shouted, having put the microphone back in the stand and stepped away. 

He turned to help Lou Ellen and Kayla put away the guitars and bass. The band started clearing their things from the stage and packing up instruments. Their distractedness gave Nico a moment to catch his breath as well and attempt to clear his head. He told himself he felt so disoriented because of the lights and alcohol and while those things surely didn’t help, he knew it was mostly because of Will, because of the way he looked at him and touched him and _serenaded_ him. 

The lights raised slightly in the bar and Nico turned to face his friends. “You alright, dude?” Percy asked.

“Uh, yup,” he answered, his voice cracking slightly.

Jason raised his eyebrows, grinning at him, and Nico shoved his shoulder. “Shut up,” he mumbled.

Jason raised his hands in defense, still smiling, “I didn’t say anything!”

“Your thoughts were loud enough,” Nico huffed.

“The same could be said to you, lover boy,” Percy said.

“I hate you, you’re the worst,” Nico groaned.

“Don’t be so cruel, Neeks. Maybe we should get Will over here to soften you up a little. You’re awfully nice to him,” Percy teased.

“Obviously,” Nico scoffed, “I actually like Will.”

“Aw darling, you like me?” a voice piped up from behind him.

Nico turned around to see Will grinning, his jacket and backpack on. Nico’s shoulders loosened and he smiled up at his boyfriend. “Hey,” he said softly. 

Will’s eyes mellowed as they looked at each other. “Hi,” he said back, his voice airy, “Did ya’ like it?”

Nico tipped his head back and groaned, “Of _course_ , Will,” he said, feigning exasperation and then looking back at the taller boy, “Did you really think I wouldn’t?”

Will beamed but shifted anxiously on his feet, “I thought it would be too much, maybe.”

“It was a lot, but it was incredible. _You_ were incredible,” he reassured, “The whole show was probably one of your best ever.”

Will was grinning like a kid on Christmas and nearly vibrating with giddiness. Before the smaller boy could comment on how much Will looked like an excited puppy, his boyfriend reached forward and grabbed his hand, interlocking their fingers. Nico deflated slightly but he shot Percy a glare as he turned back to face Will. “You wanna get out of here?” Will whispered.

“Yes,” Nico said quickly. 

He stepped past Will, their hands still interlocked, and began tugging them both towards the door. “Bye, Jason! Suck it, Percy!” he called out, not bothering to look back as he heard his boyfriend’s slightly stumbling steps catch up with him. They pushed through the crowd of people and tried to make it out of the bar as quickly as possible. It was more difficult than the couple would have liked because people kept stopping Will to compliment him. As much as Nico was so proud of his talented boyfriend and thought that he deserved endless praise, he wished that it didn’t have to start _right now_. Will seemed to share the sentiment though, as he accepted each compliment graciously and then politely got the two of them out of any prolonged conversation. Austin, Cecil, Kayla, and Lou Ellen waved at the two of them as they passed by the stage. Cecil shouted something indecipherable but surely vulgar so Nico rolled his eyes anyway as Will smiled brightly and waved back.

When they finally pushed the door open, they both sighed in relief. The night was chilly and the wind felt sharp across their cheeks but it didn’t stop them from smiling widely. Their intertwined fingers were between them and their shoulders brushed. Even though Nico had on a long sleeve shirt and a jacket, he still shivered in the night. Will didn’t say anything, he just let go of Nico’s hand and wrapped his arm around his waist, pulling him closer. Nico sighed and laid his head against Will’s arm. Their stride was slightly awkward but even, each step echoing on the pavement. 

“It really was amazing, Sunshine,” Nico mumbled. 

“Really?” Will asked quietly.

“Really. But it always is, because you’re amazing.”

There was a beat of silence before Nico spoke again, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Will sucked in a breath, “I guess you could say, I’m laying all my love on you.”

Nico recoiled instantly, his nose turning up as he lifted his head, “That was terrible.”

“You loved it, don’t deny it,” he teased.

Nico sighed, “Yeah, I did.”

  
  



End file.
